Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method that operates a stripper finger in a printing apparatus.
Presently, image output devices, such as printers, multifunction media devices, xerographic machines, ink jet printers, and other devices produce images on media sheets, such as paper, substrates, transparencies, plastic, labels, or other media sheets. To produce an image, marking material, such as toner, ink jet ink, or other marking material, can be applied to a photoreceptor or an intermediate transfer member. The marking material is then transferred to a media sheet to create a latent image on the media sheet. A fuser assembly then affixes or fuses the latent image to the media sheet by applying heat and/or pressure to the media sheet. Fuser assemblies apply pressure using rotational members, such as fuser rolls or belts, which are coupled to each other at a fuser nip. Pressure is applied to the media sheet with the latent image as the media sheet is fed through the fuser nip.
Media sheets often stick to rotational members in a printing apparatus. For example, heat and pressure can cause a relatively thin media sheet to stick to a fuser roll. As another example, electrostatic forces can cause thin media sheets to stick to photoreceptor rolls, photoreceptor belts, and intermediate transfer members. Stripper fingers have been traditionally used to help separate the media sheets from the fuser rolls and pressure rolls, photoreceptor drums and belts, and other rotational members.
Unfortunately, stripper fingers wear the surface of rotational members. This causes a problem because the wear results in image quality defects on media sheets. The wear is exasperated because stripper fingers are in constant contact with a rotational member surface even though stripping is only required for certain media and/or certain operating conditions. This contact is unnecessary and induces an increased amount of unnecessary wear.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method that operates a stripper finger in a printing apparatus.